202, Life of Christ, section 9 Judean Ministry

Section 9
Jesus’
Judean
Ministry
Friday, 4 October 13

As Jesus approaches
Jerusalem so the synoptics
converge again in their
accounts for this ﬁnal phase
of the life of Jesus.
Here we shall look at Jesus’
teaching en route to
Jerusalem, including
speaking to his own disciples

On the road to Jerusalem
Mk 10,Jn 11:55-12:11
These events of Mark 10 seem to be
chronological order - it is mainly;
- teaching material
- reveals a number of ‘traps’ as
Jesus is engaged in conversation
- sees Jesus talking about the
demands of discipleship
- a concern to reverse patterns of
privilege re:powerful males and
the sick, women, children, poor

Teaching on divorce
Mk 10:1-12
Dt 24:1 - If a man marries a
woman who becomes
displeasing to him because he
finds something indecent
about her, and he writes her a
certificate of divorce, gives it
to her and sends her from his
house,
Was this about sexual
infidelity or more wider
issues?
What do you
think the Bible
teaches about
divorce - is it
allowed, in what
circumstances?

Teaching on divorce
Mk 10:1-12
woman who becomes
house,
issues?
What do you
think the Bible
teaches about
divorce - is it
allowed, in what
circumstances?
Jesus then left that place and went into the region of
Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people
came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.
2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, ‘Is it
lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’
3 ‘What did Moses command you?’ he replied.
4 They said, ‘Moses permitted a man to write a
certiﬁcate of divorce and send her away.’
5 ‘It was because your hearts were hard that Moses
wrote you this law,’Jesus replied. 6 ‘But at the
beginning of creation God “made them male and
female”.[a]

Teaching on divorce
Mk 10:1-12
woman who becomes
house,
issues?
What do you
think the Bible
teaches about
divorce - is it
allowed, in what
circumstances?
7 “For this reason a man will leave his father and
mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8 and the two will
become one ﬂesh.”[c] So they are no longer two, but
one ﬂesh.9 Therefore what God has joined together, let
no one separate.’
10 When they were in the house again, the disciples
asked Jesus about this.11 He answered, ‘Anyone who
divorces his wife and marries another woman commits
adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her
husband and marries another man, she commits
adultery.’

Teaching on divorce
Mk 10:1-12
woman who becomes
house,
issues?

Jesus is very conservative
here - in Mark divorce is not
allowed and in Matt only for
adultery.
The Pharisees demanded
divorce whichever way you
agreed to read/interpret this
verse.
Both Mk/Matt emphasise
lifelong faithfulness to
marriage vows.

Blomberg explains some
principles about marriage:
1. God’s primary intention
for marriage is no separation
of any kind
2. Jesus put husband and
wife’s rights (and sins) on an
equal level Matt 19:10-12
3. Christians who do not
marry should never be
treated as second class
citizens (Catholics value
celibacy, Protestants do not!)

4. 1 Cor 7 adds further
teaching - does 15-17 allow
divorce if desertion by an
unbeliever takes place?
5. There needs in all
situations to be a balance of
compassion and kindness - is
there sorrow for sin and true
repentance? Is divorce treated
as an unforgivable sin or can
a person be restored and
used in the kog?

Jesus blesses the children
Mk 10:13-16
Children seem to be a natural
follow on after talking about
marriage
- often people would ask
rabbis to bless children
- some people (like the
disciples) had a low view of
children
- Jesus pronounces you must
become like a child to enter
the kog
13 People were bringing little children to
Jesus for him to place his hands on them,
but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When
Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He
said to them,‘Let the little children come
to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not
receive the kingdom of God like a little
child will never enter it.’ 16 And he took
the children in his arms, placed his
hands on them and blessed them.

Jesus blesses the children
Mk 10:13-16
Children seem to be a natural
follow on after talking about
marriage
- often people would ask
rabbis to bless children
- some people (like the
disciples) had a low view of
children
- Jesus pronounces you must
become like a child to enter
the kog

- childishness is not
commended
- total dependence upon God
(an adult) is required
- could this be used to
promote infant baptism or
dedication?

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell
on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what
must I do to inherit eternal life?’
18 ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is
good – except God alone. 19 You know the commandments:
“You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you
shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall
not defraud, honour your father and mother.”[d]’
20 ‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a
boy.’
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’
he said.

‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he
had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it
is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!’
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said
again, ‘Children, how hard it is[e] to enter the kingdom of
God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of
God.’
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each
other, ‘Who then can be saved?’

27 Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is
impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with
God.’
28 Then Peter spoke up, ‘We have left everything to follow
you!’
29 ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home
or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields
for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times
as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters,
mothers, children and fields – along with persecutions –
and in the age to come eternal life.31 But many who are
first will be last, and the last first.’

The rich (in general) and a young
ruler (in particular)
Mk 10:17-31
- called a “ruler” in Lk 18:18
- he wants eternal life and asks how
to “get it” (does that reﬂect a
mindset that anything could be
bought?)
- Jesus wonders why he calls him
good (isn’t it obvious?)
- he quotes key commandments
- still the man feels he lacks
- Jesus points to his wealth /
possessions and says to sell

Mk 10:17-31
bought?)
Does Jesus call all disciples to
do this?

Mk 10:17-31
bought?)
do this?
- no other such command in the
Bible

Mk 10:17-31
bought?)
do this?
Bible
- Luke follows on with Zacchaeus
19:1ff who voluntarily gives half of
his wealth to the poor and promises
to restore 4X to anyone who he has
cheated

Mk 10:17-31
bought?)
do this?
Bible
- Luke follows on with Zacchaeus
19:1ff who voluntarily gives half of
his wealth to the poor and promises
to restore 4X to anyone who he has
cheated
- rabbinic law normally
discouraged someone from giving
away more than 20% of their
wealth

- Jesus then teaches about
rich people entering the kog
- the camel was the largest
animal living locally - the
needle the smallest common
opening
- the disciples see the
impossibility of this

- the OT seems to declare
riches are a blessing from
God, so how then can anyone
be saved?
- Jesus makes sure they realise
salvation is all of God
- Jesus promises 100X blessing
to those who have followed
him - assuming the
persecutions are literal
shouldn’t we think the other
blessings are too?

The labourers in the vineyard
Matt 20:1-16
- added by Matthew
- shows that all disciples are
equal (no privilege in the KOG)
- we learn from those hired 1st
that God treats no one unfairly
- from those hired last we see
God treats some people very
generously
- from 16 ‘So the last will be ﬁrst,
and the ﬁrst will be last.’ - there is
no inequality in kog

Jesus again predicts his death
Mark 10:32-45
- the context is of leadership
equating to servanthood
- the most detail of death given
by Jesus 32-34
- in that light the disciples after
the request of James and John,
argue over their status
- Jesus shows selﬂess service to
be the way to lead, in contrast to
the ways of the world
- v45 makes clear the vicarious
atoning nature of the death Jesus
will suffer
32 They were on their way up to
Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way,
and the disciples were astonished, while
those who followed were afraid. Again
he took the Twelve aside and told them
what was going to happen to him.
33 ‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he
said, ‘and the Son of Man will be
delivered over to the chief priests and
the teachers of the law. They will
condemn him to death and will hand
him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will
mock him and spit on him, ﬂog him and
kill him. Three days later he will rise.’

Jesus again predicts his death
Mark 10:32-45
- the context is of leadership
equating to servanthood
- the most detail of death given
by Jesus 32-34
- in that light the disciples after
the request of James and John,
argue over their status
- Jesus shows selﬂess service to
be the way to lead, in contrast to
the ways of the world
- v45 makes clear the vicarious
atoning nature of the death Jesus
will suffer

Healing Bartimaeus
Mk 10:46ff
- ﬁnal full-ﬂedged healing in
the Gospels
- Messiah = Son of David
- again faith is the source of
healing (sp and phys healing)
- previously those healed had
been told to go and tell no
one
- now the response is to
follow - Jesus is on course for
the cross
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together
with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus
(which means ‘son of Timaeus’), was sitting by the roadside
begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began
to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all
the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’
49 Jesus stopped and said,‘Call him.’
So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s
calling you.’50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and
came to Jesus.
51 ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’
52 ‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’Immediately he
received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Healing Bartimaeus
Mk 10:46ff
- ﬁnal full-ﬂedged healing in
the Gospels
- Messiah = Son of David
- again faith is the source of
healing (sp and phys healing)
- previously those healed had
been told to go and tell no
one
- now the response is to
follow - Jesus is on course for
the cross

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where
Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.2 Here a
dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while
Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.
3 Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an
expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his
feet with her hair. And the house was ﬁlled with the fragrance
of the perfume.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to
betray him, objected, 5 ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and
the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.[a]’

6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but
because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to
help himself to what was put into it.
7 ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she
should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will
always have the poor among you,[b] but you will not always
have me.’
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was
there and came, not only because of him but also to see
Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief
priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account
of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and
believing in him.

Anointing in Bethany
Mk 14:3-9
- John is most explicit here
11:55-12:11
- takes place on the Saturday
before palm Sunday
- Matt and Mk rearrange here
due to the symbolism of
preparing Jesus for his burial
- 14:1-2 Jewish leaders plan to
arrest Jesus
- 14:10-11 Judas agrees to betray
him

-the perfume was worth about
one years wages
- Judas complains (but he was
stealing money)
- Jesus accepts the generosity
even though it is lavish
- he says the poor will always
be there - which is no excuse for
inactivity to help them
- it was not uncommon to be
lavish in expenditure at a
funeral
- Dt 15:11

Jesus in Jerusalem
The final days of public ministry Mk 11,12
- Jesus arrives in
Jerusalem
- expectation and
conﬂict reach fever
pitch
- dramatic days with
dramatic activity

Actions of judgement
Mk 11:1-26
- triumphal entry 11:1-10 - Palm Sunday
- Jesus acting out Zech 9:9
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
- the donkey is taken as a king would and is unridden
and pure, suitable for Jesus purpose

- probably many of those greeting Jesus would have
been pilgrims from Galilee
- they line the road with clothes and palm branches
- Hosanna is Heb for “God save us” - Ps 118:25-26
which was commonly sung when ascending the
temple mount
- the donkey is an animal of peace and humility
- if Jesus was coming for war he would have been on
a horse
- the people do not understand this

- Luke is powerful in recording
that Jesus declares Jerusalem’s
lack of acknowledgement of their
king and of the destruction that
will come as a result of it 19:41ff
- perhaps in this light it is not
surprising that in 5 days some of
those welcoming Jesus will be
crying for his cruciﬁxion
- John again emphasises hat the
disciples did not really
understand what was going on
12:16

- this is in the context of 12:23-50
where Jesus speaks of his
gloriﬁcation, but these words
could have been anytime from
Sunday through to Thursday
- the Greeks want to speak to
Jesus 12:21, an action that sparks,
in Jesus, a recognition of the time
- Jesus now declares his time has
come 2:4, 7:30, 8:20 cf 12:23, 13:1,
17:1

- the voice of God is heard
affirming Jesus in Jn 12:27-30
‘Now my soul is troubled, and what
shall I say? “Father, save me from this
hour”? No, it was for this very reason
I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify
your name!’
Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I
have glorified it, and will glorify it
again.’29 The crowd that was there
and heard it said it had thundered;
others said an angel had spoken to
him.Jesus said, ‘This voice was for
your benefit, not mine.

The withered ﬁg tree
Mk 11:12-14, 20-25
- Jesus enters Jerusalem it is an
anticlimax as he goes to the
Temple, looks around, and does
nothing
- stays in Bethany overnight and
then goes to the Temple again
- on the way he sees a ﬁg tree with
leaves but no fruit and curses it - by
the next day it is withered
- this is symbolic of the doom of the
jewish nation if it did not repent

The withered fig tree
Mk 11:12-14, 20-25
- Jesus enters Jerusalem it is an
anticlimax as he goes to the
Temple, looks around, and does
nothing
- stays in Bethany overnight and
then goes to the Temple again
- on the way he sees a fig tree with
leaves but no fruit and curses it - by
the next day it is withered
- this is symbolic of the doom of the
jewish nation if it did not repent
- the disciples are amazed
- Jesus teaches them about faith
(again!)
- Blomberg argues here that the
idea of casting a mountain into the
sea is meant specifically about the
Mount of Olives or Zion (The
Temple Mount)
- he suggests that based on Zech
14:4 it is more likely that Jesus is
declaring a new world order,
replacing the temple, is imminent
and they should trust his promises

Clearing the temple
Mk 11:15-19
- Blomberg suggests at this
stage it is not cleansing but
clearing the temple
- it is too late in Jesus’ ministry
for any real change to be
brought about
- it is a catalyst for those
plotting his death Mk 11:18, Lk
19:47f
- again there is a strong element
of prophetic symbolism

Clearing the temple
Mk 11:15-19
- Blomberg suggests at this
stage it is not cleansing but
clearing the temple
- it is too late in Jesus’ ministry
for any real change to be
brought about
- it is a catalyst for those
plotting his death Mk 11:18, Lk
19:47f
- again there is a strong element
of prophetic symbolism
- the temple will not fall until
70AD
- but the sacriﬁcial system is
about to be superseded in just a
few days
- then only in Jesus will
forgiveness of sins be available
- the ‘last’ words of Jesus in the
temple are signiﬁcant, Matt
23:38 Look, your house is left to
you desolate.

Teaching in the temple
Mk 11:27-12:44
Tuesday morning
- faces a series of questions from
Jewish leaders trying to get Jesus
to incriminate himself
- in Mk the 4 questions relate
directly to 4 aspects of the
Passover liturgy
- paying taxes, the resurrection,
the greatest commandment, on
being David’s son
- arguably the answers given here
show that Jesus is fulﬁlling the
Passover

Questioning Jesus’ authority
Mk 11:27-33
- by whose authority did Jesus
create the chaos the previous day?
- Jesus uses a common rabbinic
ploy and asks them a question
(about JTB)
- they cannot answer honestly in
front of the people and so an
impasse is reached
- Jesus takes it further and then
speaks the parable of the wicked
tenants (which is directly about
them, who have not acted in the
way they should)

Paying taxes to Caesar
Mk 12:13-17
- Pharisees resent paying taxes to
Rome, Herodians like the status
quo
- Jesus appears to afﬁrm both
views
- some say this is a good
argument for keeping church
and state (political and religious
kingdoms) separate (some
Baptists included)

Paying taxes to Caesar
Mk 12:13-17
- Pharisees resent paying taxes to
Rome, Herodians like the status
quo
- Jesus appears to afﬁrm both
views
- some say this is a good
argument for keeping church
and state (political and religious
kingdoms) separate (some
Baptists included)
The resurrection Mk 12:18-27
- Sadducees did not believe in
resurrection from the dead (not in
Law)
- in an attempt to ridicule the idea
they invent a preposterous story of
a woman marrying 7 brothers, all
of whom died
- Jesus’ reply is simple, ‘Are you not
in error because you do not know the
Scriptures or the power of God?
- no marriage in the age to come
and resurrection is shown in the
Torah

The Greatest commandment
Mk 12:28-34
- a lawyer asks about the law,
how surprising!
- Jesus’ answer is entirely
orthodox
- he also joins commandments
1 and 2 together, you must do
them both
- as a non-disciple of Jesus, the
man cannot fulﬁll this (he is
not far away though)
- by loving God and neighbour
you will then fulﬁll all the
Torah

The Greatest commandment
Mk 12:28-34
- a lawyer asks about the law,
how surprising!
- Jesus’ answer is entirely
orthodox
- he also joins commandments
1 and 2 together, you must do
them both
- as a non-disciple of Jesus, the
man cannot fulﬁll this (he is
not far away though)
- by loving God and neighbour
you will then fulﬁll all the
Torah
The questions about David’s son
Mk 12:35-37
-having silenced the questioners
Jesus turns the tables on them
- how do they see the Messiah as a
human, royal, nationalist
descendant of David?
- Ps 110 (most quoted Ps in NT)
was believed to be Davidic
- 2 ‘Lords’ - Yahweh and another
- there is no human master higher
than David so who is the other
lord? It must be the messiah

Jesus attacks the Jewish leaders
Matthew 23
- strong words against the
pharisees and scribes
- Jesus is not attacking all Jews,
simply denouncing leaders, like
much OT prophecy
- 2-3 Jesus announces even these
leaders should be followed as
they teach the Torah, but points
out their inconsistencies

Jesus attacks the Jewish leaders
Matthew 23
- strong words against the
pharisees and scribes
- Jesus is not attacking all Jews,
simply denouncing leaders, like
much OT prophecy
- 2-3 Jesus announces even these
leaders should be followed as
they teach the Torah, but points
out their inconsistencies
- motivated by a desire for human
praise and status 5-12
- misguided in their proselytizing
zeal 13-15
- wrong priorities in oath taking
and tithing 16-24
- more concerned for ritual
cleanliness than moral purity 25-28
- worst of all they repeat the sin of
their forefathers in killing
spokesmen sent by God 29-36
Go ahead, then, and complete what
your ancestors started! v32

Widows offering
Mk 12:41-44
- we have seen the rich, powerful
and inﬂuential in the temple, now
a contrast
- miniscule amount of money
- small copper coins(Gk. lepta; a
lepton was a Jewish coin worth
about 1/128th of a denarius,
which was a day’s wage for a
laborer)
- the amount was small but the
percentage was enormous

Jesus speaks on the Mount of
Olives - the Olivet discourse
Jesus leaves the Temple and
walks up the Mount of Olives
- the disciples admire the temple
but Jesus predicts its destruction
- the disciples ask when and
how will we know it is about to
happen?

When will the temple be
destroyed?
Mk 13:5-23
- not immediately!
- Jesus then gives a number of
signs to help the disciples see
the end coming
- we shall not be looking at
these details here
- it would appear clear that in
some way Jesus is referring to
the desecration of the temple by
Antiochus Epiphanes in AD70

When will the temple be
destroyed?
Mk 13:5-23
- not immediately!
- Jesus then gives a number of
signs to help the disciples see
the end coming
- we shall not be looking at
these details here
- it would appear clear that in
some way Jesus is referring to
the desecration of the temple by
Antiochus Epiphanes in AD70
What will signal the end of the
age?
Mk 13:24-32
- “nothing conclusive” “don’t
worry you won’t miss it”
- Christ will come back (the
parousia) at some point after
the destruction of the temple
- it will be public, worldwide
and universally visible, Matt
24:30-31
- at the same time Jesus makes
it clear that even he does not
know when he will return Mk
13:32 - see also Acts 1:7

Be alert!
Mk 13:33-37
- in the light of what has been
said how should we live?
- be about the business of the
kog, and be ready and alert at
all times so that you are not
caught unaware
- Matt 24, 25 contain parables
telling of the foolishness of not
being properly prepared
- the parable of the talents is
followed by the sheep and the
goats

The three Degrees
recorded a song,
“When will I see you
again?” it included
the lyrics, “Is this the
beginning or is it the
end?”
I guess we shall have
to wait and see
And that (right) is
what used to be
called a record (a
single not an album)

202, Life of Christ, section 9 Judean Ministry

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202, Life of Christ, section 9 Judean Ministry